Photo courtesy of The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

Last Friday, nearly 600 business leaders, owners, and CEOs gathered to honor the region’s most inspiring companies at the 2025 Frank G. Berlin Sr. Sarasota Business Awards, hosted by the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Held at The Ora Ballroom, the luncheon spotlighted 30 exceptional finalists across 10 award categories—from Small Business of the Year to Workforce Innovation and Rising Star. These companies represent the best of Sarasota: driven, resilient, and deeply committed to our community’s growth.

Each award category told a story of impact—businesses that adapted, expanded, gave back, and created jobs right here in our region. These are the companies that don’t just show up—they build up Sarasota every single day.

But this event is about more than handing out trophies. It’s about celebrating what a strong, connected business community can achieve together.

As the Sarasota Chamber, we’re proud to create platforms like this that elevate, connect, and advocate for our members. And we’re not just celebrating the success of others—we’re also raising the bar ourselves. Just this month, the Sarasota Chamber was awarded 5-Star Accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, placing us in the top 1% of chambers across North America. This rare distinction recognizes excellence in chamber planning, advocacy, governance, and member services.

What does that mean for our members? It means that when you join the Sarasota Chamber, you’re not just joining a local organization—you’re gaining access to one of the top-performing chambers in the country. Whether it’s networking, visibility, business advocacy, or workforce development, we’re doing the work to help our 1,500+ members succeed and thrive.

The Sarasota Business Awards are a perfect reflection of our mission: to recognize and fuel business excellence in all forms. From family-owned shops to fast-growing tech firms, every nominee and finalist showed what it means to lead with purpose, even when times are challenging.

To the businesses recognized this year—thank you for raising the bar. To our members—thank you for helping us build something extraordinary. And to those not yet a part of the Chamber—we invite you to join us.

For more information about joining the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, visit www.sarasotachamber.com.

Heather Kasten is President/CEO of The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

Photo courtesy of The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.